Science Teachers should to be innovative – Prof. Addai
Professor Federick Kwaku Addai, Head, Department of Anatomy, University of Ghana Medical School (UGMS) on Thursday said science education must always translate into technological activities to make it more relevant to society.
This, he said, could be done by shifting the mentality of the populace to deal with waste as a resource rather than material to be discarded.
Professor Addai said the long struggle associated with the handling of poor health and high infant mortality was due to poor water quality and sanitation.
He made this call in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by Mr Emmanuel Atta Gyamera, a Senior Fellow of the Ghana Association of Science Teachers(GAST), in Bolgatanga during its 53rd Conference on the theme, “Science and Technology Education: a tool for creating wealth out of waste”.
He said thousands of students were turned out in science related studies whilst many research reports on science were being kept on shelves, thus little was being done on practicalizing findings identified.
To address some of the nagging problems, he advocated that science education start early childhood tutelage where methods of minimizing waste generation and proper waste disposal and utilization could be taught.
“School children should be taught waste sorting so that organic refuse can be composted for agricultural use; re- usable items may be cleaned for re use and metals sent for crushing and remolding”, Professor Addai said.
According to Professor, such an action could only be achieved if science teachers initiated the practice either by themselves or encouraged the students to show interest in waste management in the country with a view to finding technological solutions to it.
He challenged GAST members to collaborate and build simple plants to make compost for use by farmers and schools.
Professor Addai challenged scientists in Ghana to develop indigenous knowledge solutions to waste problems that would help facilitate both science and technology education in the country.
Mrs Lucy Awuni, Upper Esat Deputy Regional Minister, welcoming participants to the conference, encouraged science teachers to make teaching and learning of science more interesting in schools.
She said most students who, from the beginning dream of becoming Medical of Veterinary Doctors could not realize their dreams because of poor performance in science subjects.
Source: GNA